Photographer C. Todd Sherman lauded for photo of the year

The Vicksburg Post received the top award for mid-size daily newspapers in Mississippi on Saturday and staff photojournalist C. Todd Sherman received the photo of the year prize.

In total, among the 25 judging categories the newspaper entered, first-place awards were presented in 13 with photo editor Melanie Duncan-Thortis receiving three first-place awards and seven awards overall.

Two newspaper columnists, sports editor Sean Murphy and features editor Sonya Kimbrell also received first-place awards in sports and general interest column writing.

The awards were presented in Biloxi at the 136th annual meeting of the Mississippi Press Association. Entries from 24 daily and 43 weekly newspapers were considered by a judging panel of Kentucky newspaper editors.

For The Vicksburg Post, observing its 120th year, the first-place General Excellence Award was for the second consecutive year.

Among Mississippi daily newspapers with circulation below 9,000, The Greenwood Commonwealth was judged best, and among papers with more than 20,000 circulation, The Sun Herald of Biloxi was chosen.

The photo of the year award is named in honor of former Vicksburg resident Aimie B. Herscovici and was created in her memory by her husband, Julius Herscovici, a retired Bechtel engineer who now researches and writes local history. It was the first time the award has been won by a Vicksburg photojournalist.

The winning photo, “Baseball Ballet,” was shot by Sherman during a youth league game.

Also at the meeting, The Clarion-Ledger took home the Community Service prize for dailies and Wayne Nicholas of The Bolivar Commercial won the J. Oliver Emmerich Editorial award.

In summary, the Post’s prizes, in the order presented, were:

Best General News Story

Honorable Mention staff writer Laura Hough

Best Spot News Story

First Place – staff writer Mark Armstrong, for his coverage of the fire that destroyed the home of artist Earl Simmons and much of Simmons’ work.

Best Sports News Story

First Place – sports editor Sean P. Murphy, for his account of a young athlete who survived a wreck and pitched a no-hitter.

 Second Place – Sean P. Murphy

Best Sports Column

 First Place – Sean P. Murphy

Best Sports Feature

 Second Place – Sean P. Murphy

 Third Place – former staff writer Shane Marquardt

Best Game Story

First Place – staff writer Ernest Bowker, about the last game of Vicksburg High’s hard-fought season.

Best General Interest Column

 First Place – features editor Sonya Kimbrell

Best Feature Story

Honorable Mention – former staff writer Maggie Parker

Best General New Photograph

 First Place – staff photojournalist C. Todd Sherman, for a photo taken at Lake Chotard that conveyed the summer’s heat.

 Second Place – C. Todd Sherman

 Third Place – photo editor Melanie Duncan Thortis

Best Spot News Photograph

 First Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis, for her photo from the fire that destroyed Earl Simmons’ home and studio.

 Third Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis

Best Sports Feature Photograph

 Third Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis

Best Sports Action Photograph

 First Place – C. Todd Sherman, for “Baseball Ballet” that also won photo of the year.

 Third Place – C. Todd Sherman

Best Feature Photograph

 First Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis, for a mother and daughter cooling off at City Pool.

Best Picture-Story Combination

 Second Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis

Best Personality Portrait

 First Place – Melanie Duncan Thortis, for her photograph of 90-year-old Roberta Young.

Best Editorial Page(s)

 First Place – The Vicksburg Post

Best Sports Page or Section

 First Place – The Vicksburg Post

Best Lifestyles Page or Section

 Third Place – The Vicksburg Post

General Excellence

First Place – The Vicksburg Post